


Courage

by MelindaCoulson4



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: 8x04 tag, Brienne is only talked about (doesn't actually make an appearance), Brotherly Bonding, F/M, Humor, Jealousy, Matchmaker Tyrion Lannister, Missing Scene, Tyrion Lannister Ships It, liquid courage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:40:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24361486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MelindaCoulson4/pseuds/MelindaCoulson4
Summary: 8x04- Missing scene between the celebration dinner and the moment Brienne finds Jaime outside her room. Tyrion provides much needed assistance to Jaime who is having some doubts.
Relationships: Jaime Lannister & Tyrion Lannister, Jaime Lannister/Brienne of Tarth, Tyrion Lannister & Sansa Stark
Comments: 4
Kudos: 68





	Courage

**Author's Note:**

> It took me over a year to be able to come back to this....fuck D&D

Pressed against the wall, he waited until the group of them moved on. It took only but a minute more. The whole lot of them stumbled arm in arm to their own private quarters. If they could make the trip there, that is.  
  
Assured that they'd made their exit for the night, Tyrion eyed the array of cups and flagons of wine. He decided at once that no one would miss them. Due to his current state, the stool was a bit of a challenge to climb on, but with an increase in concentration he was able to reach the table. Testing the weights of each flagon, he chose the heaviest and grabbed two cups.  
  
"Leaving so soon?"  
  
Caught in the middle of the deed, he froze.  
  
After a momentary lapse, his mind caught up with the present. It was only then the he realized that he knew that voice.  
  
"Not exactly," he responded.  
  
He finished what he'd intended to do and lowered himself back off the stool. Then turned to face Sansa.  
  
Her posture was rigid. A cup was in one of her hands. He had the sneaking suspicion that it was more than halfway full. It was a poor attempt at celebration. After surviving the crypts, one would think she would like to find some relief. Then again, that was never her way. Despite appearances, she was always sharp.  
  
"Gathering a stock?" Sansa asked, eyeing the items in his hands curiously.  
  
Tyrion nodded. "Mm, but not for me. My brother and his lady."  
  
Revealing nothing, she asked: "Your brother has a lady in Winterfell?”  
  
Always testing the ones around her, he thought. She should know better than to do that with him. "Now, Lady Sansa, I thought you were more observant that this. You must know the truth. Maybe you're in denial," he humored her.  
  
"Lady Brienne," she said without hesitation.  
  
"Very good."  
  
"I didn't think it was….” She trailed off.  
  
"I don't think anyone could understand them. He was her prisoner for months when they first met. Strange relationship, but aren't all?" He mused, thinking of how the two of them had married. It felt like another lifetime now.  
  
"Yes." Her eyes seemed to dance in amusement, while the rest of her face revealed nothing. "Go on and assist your brother and Lady Brienne."  
  


* * *

  
  
Tyrion stopped in his tracks and sighed deeply, knowing this was what he would find, yet wishing he hadn't. He watched as his brother struggled to unclasp the third buckle on the front of his jerkin.  
  
_What a fool_ , he thought. Wearing clothing he could not even take off himself.  
  
Jaime raised his hand as if to knock, hesitated, then stared at the closed door in front of him as if it would open by sheer power of will. He took a step back and shook his head.  
  
Tyrion sighed. He had to bring an end to this. "Do you intend to stand there all night?"  
  
Startled, Jaime spun quickly. His hand went to his hip for a sword that was not there. His hand fell away as recognition flashed in his eyes. "Did you - _follow me_?" He asked outraged.  
  
It had taken some time to find an unattended flagon of wine. But now, he could see that the drinks they'd shared prior had clearly taken a hold of his brother. He'd come here with the intention to loosen Jaime up, but maybe there wouldn't be a need for it. For a moment, he tossed that idea around his mind, then thought better of it. He'd seen the way his brother interacted with Lady Brienne. Like a bumbling fool who could not tell the difference between up and down. He needed all the help he could get.  
  
"I didn't follow you. I just knew where you would be," Tyrion said slowly. "So, I ask again will you stand there all night?"  
  
"No. I was just-" Jaime paused, blowing out a puff of air, clearly losing his words and nerve.  
  
"Undressing yourself outside of Ser Brienne's door?" Tyrion supplied.  
  
The answer was in Jaime’s eyes. With matters of the heart, Jaime had a tendency to get stuck in his own head instead of acting.  
  
Tyrion took pity on him. "Jaime. I know what you're doing." There wasn’t a need for theater here.  
  
The air around Jaime was practically buzzing with anxious energy. Tyrion decided to save his brother from the humiliation. Perhaps help him speak and get his heart to release his tongue. He poured one of the cups full of wine, spilling some over the side. "Here," he said, offering it to Jaime.  
  
"What's this?" Jaime asked, already taking it.  
  
"Dornish red. Drink it. Give yourself some liquid courage then knock on the door and take the rest into her chambers when she invites you in."  
  
"Invites me in," Jaime repeated, shaking his head like that was the last thing he thought would happen. "She won't after your condescending remark."  
  
_You're a virgin._  
  
It was a loose lipped blab and an error in judgement. Of all the things he'd intended, having Lady Brienne take leave wasn't one of them. He hadn't meant offense, but caused it all the same. "It wasn't mean to-"  
  
Jaime's face hardened. "It was unworthy of her."  
  
When the moment occurred, he'd been thinking of other things he could follow up with. Something clever like: my brother is practically a virgin too. But he hadn't gotten that far. In hindsight, it would not have been as successful as his drunken mind had thought. "I only did it for you," he revealed.  
  
"For me? _Are you mad_?" Jaime's voice raised.   
  
"I saw the look in your eyes, Jaime. You were wondering." Wondering if the lady he fancied had been with another. They all did. Something was between her and Tormund Giantsbane. There was definite attraction on the Wildling's part. Podrick vehemently denied anything between the lady and the Wildling, but Podrick was still a lad in many ways. Winterfell was a cold place in the darkness. Death approaching, might push someone to invite another into their bed. A one-night sort of bedding.  
  
"I already knew the answer," Jaime argued. He looked away and took a large gulp of the wine.  
  
Jaime knew her better, that was true. Tyrion wondered about the undisclosed time between his brother and Brienne. They never quite got to discuss it. The few bits Jaime did give away spoke of a fondness. But Tyrion also knew what loneliness could do to a human being. There may have been circumstances Jaime was not completely aware of.  
  
His eyes squinted in suspicion. "Did you really?" He questioned. There was something Jaime was holding back. Something in his eye. A jealousy, perhaps.  
  
"Yes I- yes," Jaime answered, nodding his head as if convincing himself.  
  
"Tormund Giantsbane didn't make you question it?" Tyrion's eyebrow raised. The man followed Lady Brienne around like she shat gold.  
  
"No." Jaime finished off the cup of wine. There was a tremor to his hand as he attempted to return it.  
  
"You're worse than a boy who's never been touched before."  
  
Jaime's gaze darted away. "I don't know how she feels for me," he finally said, almost in a whisper. It was a rare show of vulnerability. Tyrion had only seen it once before, when Joffrey died.  
  
It occurred to him that Jaime had no real experience. In all his years, he'd only been with one woman. The most manipulative, secretive person in all of Westeros. No wonder Jaime was like this.  
  
"Anyone with eyes knows," Tyrion reassured him. It was hard to believe that this was the same man who'd once charged straight towards a dragon. This lack of confidence was a welcome contrast to the great lion of Lannister. Golden-haired and ready to face an army of the dead, but not the woman he desired. Tyrion's mouth quirked up at that a bit.  
  
"I'm glad you find this so humorous on my behalf," Jaime snapped.  
  
"I'm only interested," he began, slowly as to not provoke him. "I've never seen you like this." He chose to leave Cersei's name unspoken. The vile, twisted thing between his two siblings had no place here.  
  
Jaime deflated some.  
  
Not only was his brother smitten. Lady Brienne was as well. He'd seen brief glimpses of the two of them together as they'd shared battle strategy. There was a clear familiarity that they had with each other. A mutual trust. The depth of it hadn't hit him until the feast. When right before him, he'd witnessed the way they met each other's eyes from across the table. Always finding each other.  
  
"We've just escaped certain death. We all want to be close to the ones we hold dear. She'll let you in." Pressing the cups into the crook of Jaime's elbow, he gave Jaime the flagon to hold. "Take this and know that it will work out."  
  
Tapping him on the stomach, Tyrion turned on his heel. "I bid you a goodnight, my brother. Enjoy it with your lady. You will bring me good news in the morning.” He paused, thinking better of it. “Make it the afternoon. I would not want to rush you."  
  
Tyrion rounded the corner of the hall and heard the slight echo of gold knocking against wood. He smirked triumphantly.

//end//


End file.
